1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a plural stage process for the production of tertiary butyl alcohol from isobutane. More particularly, this invention relates to a plural stage process for the production of tertiary butyl alcohol from isobutane wherein isobutane is first non-catalytically reacted with oxygen in an oxidation reactor to prepare a primary liquid reaction product comprising unreacted isobutane, tertiary butyl alcohol, tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and small amounts of oxygen-containing by-products such as ditertiary butyl peroxide, methanol, acetone, methyl formate, water, etc., wherein the primary liquid reaction product is fractionated so as to provide a first lighter isobutane recycle distillation fraction and a first heavier liquid distillation fraction comprising the remainder of the primary liquid reaction mixture, wherein the second heavier liquid distillation fraction is diluted with an amount of tertiary butyl alcohol sufficient to provide a charge mixture comprising about 15 to 20 wt. % of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, about 80 to 85 wt. % of tertiary butyl alcohol and minor amounts of oxygen-containing impurities, wherein the charge mixture is brought into contact with a solid heterogeneous peroxide decomposition catalyst in a hydroperoxide decomposition reactor to convert substantially all of the tertiary butyl hydroperoxide to tertiary butyl alcohol, a minor portion being converted to oxygen-containing by-products and wherein tertiary butyl alcohol is recovered.
2Prior Art
It is known to non-catalytically react isobutane with oxygen in the liquid phase in order to provide a reaction product comprising a mixture of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide with tertiary butyl alcohol as illustrated, for example, by Winkler et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,845,461.
It is known to react isobutane with oxygen in the presence of a peroxidation catalyst in order to provide a reaction product comprising tertiary butyl alcohol and residual tertiary butyl hydroperoxide as shown, for example, by Grane et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,999, Grane et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,262 and Worrell U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,263.
It is known to prepare tertiary butyl alcohol by the catalyzed decomposition of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide as shown, for example, by Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,598.
It is known to purify tertiary butyl alcohol by the catalytic decomposition of residual quantities of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide contained therein using a catalyst, as shown, for example, by Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,903, Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,122, and Sanderson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,480.
It is known to use tertiary butyl hydroperoxide prepared by the oxidation of isobutane, as a feedstock, together with propylene for an epoxidation reaction process wherein the propylene and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide are converted to propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol as shown, for example, by Marquis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,506 and Marquis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,530.
It is known to use tertiary butyl alcohol obtained by the oxidation of isobutane as a feedstock, together with methanol as a feedstock, for an etherification reaction process wherein the tertiary butyl alcohol and methanol are reacted to form methyl tertiary butyl ether. See, for example, Kruse et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,091.